Carry On
by DismalBismuth
Summary: Sasuke runs out of his father’s funeral after his cold brother finally returns to take his place. Then, by coincidence or fate meets Naruto, who changes everything. AU, Light SasuNaru, Sasuke POV
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:_ Naruto is owned and created by Masashi Kishimoto.

_Summary:_ Sasuke runs out of his father's funeral after his cold brother finally returns to take his place. Then, by coincidence or fate, meets Naruto. AU, Light SasuNaru, Sasuke POV

This will most likely be a two parter. It was originally intended to just be a one-shot, but it was getting lengthy. I'm not sure when I'll put the second half up, but it will probably be after I update the fourth chapter on my other story. Anywho, by writing this I did something I thought I'd never do. I mean, me, write from the emo-brat's point of view! First person no less! I guess inevitably he will be a tad OOC, but mainly because his brother didn't murderize his entire family.

_Carry On _

_Part 1_

My last memories of my father were not positive. There was no tearful goodbye or the speech about how proud he was that I was his son. He last asked me to phone my brother, to make sure he made it in time. I never did, I guess I hoped against all hope that he would use me as a replacement if he didn't. He died on a hospital bed, surrounded by flowers from his admirers, his adoring family, and anyone he had ever screwed over. His enemies sent their consolation bouquets through under-paid secretaries, and wrote get well cards. All tried to add to the facade that they were saddened by father's final fall to his illness.

I could never remember my father ever lowering his head to anyone. He was proud- he had been proud, and both his arrogance and powerful ambition drove him to join the ranks of the corporate elite. The men who hated him couldn't help but respect him, if not fear him.

I could relate.

Our relationship consisted of escorts to his office weekly; an awkward event that had me sitting on an overly large chair, kicking my feet and answering half-hearted questions about my school work. He questioned about my marks, which were excellent, though not as brilliant as my brothers. He asked about sports, which I excelled at, but I didn't break any of my sibling's records. My mother is a kind woman, but her efforts to bring us together were out of necessity for the family. He joined us for dinner occasionally, but a true conversation was few and far between.

Don't get me wrong, my father was not a bad man, and it wasn't like he never loved me. He just loved Itachi better.

The funeral was overly long. My father was not the sort of man who enjoyed extensive trappings, but the family got a hold of it before my mother could gain control over rational thought. Speeches were made, mostly by people totally unrelated to anything important to father. From university colleagues to a small time celebrity that had once been a employee of father's before he 'made it'. Useless words that were uttered meaninglessly in a succession of overwrought paragraphs that could've been written by an unemployed soap writer for all their sincerity.

Itachi was supposed to speak, we waited, because we knew he had been informed and was aware of his duties. Only I knew that even our mutual father's death wasn't important enough to pull him away from his apathetic state. I would have said something, but in the end, no one had asked.

I had never understood the purpose of wakes. The get together of the attendees of a depressing event, who passed on common sentiments and talked to family they hadn't seen in years. Were we socializing and eating the crackers, snacks and cake to mourn the deceased? Father's own baked confection was tastefully decorated with lilies sculpted with a icing tube. His name, "Fugaku Uchiha" standing out boldly from the off-white paste. I currently had a piece of the family name, but the cake was far to sweet for me. I offered my corner to a younger cousin who had missed out on the super sugary lilies. She rewarded me with a bright smile, revealing two missing front teeth. For a second my own mouth twitched into a grin, but out of my eye I could see my aunt giving me a disapproving stare. I wasn't sure if it was because I gave away the special occasion dessert or because I was daring to look happy. Others were laughing and talking loudly, but I was close family, and was cursed to be the showcase of grief.

Mother was already sitting in the living room on the plush leather couch. Her black hair covered her still fresh face like night descending, but I could see her lips moving as she scripted letters on the coffee table by her knees. I guessed it was thank you letters, for a day not yet over. She was avoiding the event in her own way, repelling the would be sympathizers with her busy stance. But that left me to receive fathers secretary and her boyfriend of the week. Both were not wearing black, the boyfriend loosely fitting a rumpled old gray tux, probably not used since grad, and the secretary in a dark brown dress. She was pretty, and her sorry's were accompanied with red pouting lips. I didn't know why she was here, I knew she wasn't specifically invited. I supposed she was looking for a new boss among the throng of business men attending to pay their last respects.

As she simpered I could feel a stir behind my back. I must have known it was him before I turned. Maybe it was brotherly instinct, but I could feel him like a cold (unwelcome) breeze behind my back.

"_Itachi." _Mother said the name so breathlessly, expelled with blossoming hope. I looked towards the doorway to see my own brother, back from the great wide world and stunning in a black suit that angled and made his body look like a perfect silhouette.

"Mother. I'm sorry I'm late… My plane from London was delayed." His voice was smooth and deep, deceptively calming. And of course it had to be London. Wasn't it Paris before that? Or Venice? Wasn't he always somewhere that was full of itself, lovely and cultured?

"Oh Itachi… I know he would just be happy that you could make it today." She rose from her slump and wrapped him in her long white arms, a warm attention that he returned with a half-hearted pat on the back.

"I'm home, Mother. Sasuke." He looked over Mother's shoulder and made eye contact with me, which I met unblinkingly. Once long ago I had admired him with everything I had. I wasn't sure when it turned into petty jealousy, or even hate. He had everything I wanted and he didn't even have to be here to flaunt it.

"Itachi. Welcome back. Come just in time to take over the company?" That was it. The point of contention.

"Sasuke! You're brother's come to pay his respects! Be more polite, your father's just passed away." They had the entire companies attention now, stares of a hundred or more interlopers on their family drama. "We shouldn't even be thinking of business at a time like this."

"No. You're right Sasuke. Father wrote me a letter before he died. I was so saddened, so touched I just had to come back. It's about time I took up father's mantle. The way he would want me to." It hurt to hear it be said out loud. But we both knew that it was the truth. Father had never said which son he preferred, but Itachi got a letter… a_ touching letter…_ from father, asking him to take the company. Of course.

"Itachi… I'm so proud of you. I know that you wanted to take your own path. Your father knew from the moment you were born that you would be the one to carry on his legacy." Which left me with…

_…What?_

"I'll take care of everything Mother. You don't have to worry anymore."

I snapped. "Worry? You mean for all the times she was left crying in room when father was sick? All the times he called you? You mean you just suddenly… _Decided_ to come because Father wrote you a letter? The day of the funeral! Did you ever think that we didn't _need_ to be taken care of? That we didn't _need_ you!" The pent up frustration ripped through my body, years of bitterness against someone who was perfect in every sense of the word. Even now through my childish temper I could see his victory.

"Sasuke!" His mother whipped around, her face wrought with pain, but by then I had already sprinted past her, past Itachi and out into the road.

It took me three hours of aimless wandering down the dirtier streets of town to make me realize that my running away was perhaps the stupidest decision I had ever made. No, it hadn't even been a decision. It was a momentary impulse that took my legs down the front steps and bursting down my posh neighborhood's lanes. It was something I couldn't take back, or ever explain to my family without seeming helplessly pathetic. I couldn't even return, not when the wake was still in process. Even with a son missing I knew mother would never send everyone home, not when the family had put so much effort and money into the catering.

I put my head in my hands and crouched on the sidewalk, regardless of the passing by onlookers. "Shit. Shit shit shit shitshitshitshitshit…"

"Dude. Not on the sidewalk. There's a bathroom inside."

"What?" I looked up into a pair of bewildered blue eyes.

"Sasuke Uchiha. Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse. Here I was, coming along to help some poor soul and it turns out to be the ice prince himself. Did you get bored of your caviar? Have you come to see how the commoners dine?"

"_Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse…"_

"Huh?" I looked up, and apparently I was indeed in front of some cheap restaurant, proclaimed as Joe's Diner by a badly drawn sign of a burger and fries. "It's not like it was intentional." I knew him, or more like, knew _of_ him. By unfortunate coincidence we both attended the same high school, and our reputations preceded us. One could barely go a day without hearing about how the class reject recently blew up the schools toilets.

"Are you okay? You're looking a little green." He held out his hand to me, a simple gesture that really meant nothing, but the tight way he gripped my fingers as he pulled me up caused a warmth to rush from my hand and up my arm. I hadn't been touched today. Even with all the hugs and kisses my relatives were giving out at the wake, somehow, none of them had reached me. He couldn't have been that bad of a guy if he was going out of the way to help a stranger, even if he was hardly smooth about it.

"I'm… not really." I didn't elaborate, but he didn't ask any further. "Is the food inside any good?"

Naruto Uzamaki gave a cocky smile and placed his tanned hands onto his hips in a twisted manner. "If you like your food cheap and like soggy heart attack time bombs then I'm sure you'll like it just fine." The image of delicate white cake decorated with lilies floated through my mind.

"You know, I wouldn't mind a good burger right about now."

I could only imagine what a sight the two of us made across each other in our booth. I was dressed in a somber black suit and wearing a Rolex watch and expensive leather shoes that were now dirty from running for so long. Everything just screamed rich kid. Naruto was wearing what could only be from a bin of clothes that even the thrift store had rejected. His tank top was flamingo pink and in an arch of red and yellow declared 'The Bahamas, a Paradise On Earth'. It was all topped off with an impressive neon colored parrot between the lettering. His shorts were even worse. They must have been swim trunks at one time, and were bright orange with lightning bolts running down the sides boldly.

After small talk about various teachers and classes at school (few which we had in common) we found ourselves sitting somewhat awkwardly across each other with a lack of anything to say. "So… Do you even have any money on you?" Naruto asked as he took out a tacky purse that looked like a massive frog from his nylon lined pocket. My eyes widened as I realized that I was totally without a dollar, after all, I did just run out of the house with nothing.

"Uh…"

"Don't worry about it. After all, it's not everyday you get to treat the most popular boy at school. Hey! It's almost like a date!" He laughed and pulled out some loonies and quarters. I wondered if he planned to pay for both meals in small change. The thought was only reassured when he started to pull out dimes and nickels.

"Don't say something so idiotic. But, thank you. I left my house in a hurry today." I began to research my fingernails intently. They were perfectly pink and round, without any cracks at all. Naruto's across from me were spread apart on the table, and were short and chipped, like he had been tearing and biting at them.

"I sort of noticed." I looked up and his eyes were serious, and his eyebrows were drawn together. He was looking at my suit, my funeral attire. I realized that he probably knew what wearing it meant, but wasn't willing to ask just yet. It was funny, all this time I had thought he would be stupid, but there was a strange light of intelligence in his eyes. Maybe it was just that I knew that on some level he could understand me, hadn't he said that he was having a bad day too?

"My father… recently passed away. The funeral was today. It all went to shit, and I sort of bolted." I shrugged nonchalantly. I was both trying to underplay it, but secretly hoping for sympathy from someone who wouldn't be sad for my father, but for me.

"That sucks. I've never lost someone precious to me before, so I can't really say I've been there. But I guess I knew something was wrong when I saw you on the sidewalk. You looked… lonely." I caught his expression, and turned by head away because it seemed too personal. I knew something about his status among the other students, and I knew that no one would ever go out of their way to talk to him. It was like some unspoken red tag was attached to his back, or like he had some sort of the mythic cooties that kids used to moan about. I opened my lips to respond, but we were interrupted by a waitress coming up with a notepad and a pencil. She was younger then us both, maybe fifteen with red spots on her nose and forehead, painful wounds of puberty.

"Welcome to Joe's Diner. What would you like today?" She was tapping her pencil against her finger nervously while looking at me in the corner of her eye. A tell-tale blush rose on her cheeks, something I was used to, but bothered by all the same. Neither me or Naruto had even looked at the menu, and I still didn't know how much money he had garnered from his change pile.

"We would like… two double hamburgers, um… sans the pickles on one. Two orders of fries and two soft drinks. Let's see…" He picked up the neglected menu and scanned it once. "Sasuke, do you like onion rings?"

"I guess."

"Alright, one order of onion rings too. Make my pop a Pepsi. Sasuke?"

"Do you have any sugarless ice-tea?"

"Uh… I don't know. We could… I could go ask my manager."

"No, don't bother. I'll just have water."

"So… That's just one soft drink right?"

"Obviously." I rolled my eyes and waited for her to leave. She stood there for a few moments, moving her feet back and forth before trudging towards the kitchen. Naruto was grinning at me, lightly teasing me with his wide mouth.

"Sugarless ice-tea? That's so gross!" He stuck out his tongue.

"I just don't like sweet things. It's not that weird."

"No! It is! I could survive off of just junk food, I swear. Or Ramen, a life long supply." Naruto rubbed his stomach and licked his lips, pulling off a silly face.

"And you'll be dead before you hit twenty-five. You know, she's totally going to forget about the pickles on your burger."

He just shrugged. "I know, but it never hurts to ask."

"If you want you can give them to me. I don't mind them."

"Thanks." He stared at me thoughtfully, and I began to collect sugar packs to create a pyramid. I tried not to notice him looking, but he apparently had no qualms about it, as he brazenly kept his eyes on my face.

The silence returned, but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as before. Outside the sun was beginning to set, and the two of us sat in their booth and watched as the orange light spread across the tops of buildings and then receded down the streets. Small dark clouds approached from the horizon, signaling that it would probably start raining during the night. I would have to go home then, and apologize to my family for the embarrassment I caused them. I would have to say sorry to Itachi.

Naruto broke the quiet first. "You know, you're a pretty nice guy after all."

"Because I'm willing to eat your discarded food?"

"That. And the fact that your even willing to eat with me after all. You know I'm not exactly Mr. Popular at school. I'm surprised your even letting yourself be seen in public with me."

"I'm sure the waitress won't talk. If she becomes suspicious I may have to take her out back, never to return."

"Wow, you even made a joke!"

"Who's joking?" I tried to keep a straight face, but I lost my composure quickly. We gave mutual grins and Naruto began to laugh out loud, it became even louder when the said waitress came out with our food crudely piled onto old plates.

"Two double burgers, two regular fries, an order of onion rings, a Pepsi and… a water…" She placed them down one by one, and blushed when she placed my plain drink in front of me. Across from me Naruto lifted his bun to see three round pickles winking at him from his patty. He made a face, and I tried to remain serious.

"Thanks."

"Uh. No problem. Thank you… I…" She became entirely red and shuffled away in her white loafers.

"…love you? Oh, great and handsome Sasuke! Take me away from this horrible diner and to your kingdom!" Naruto finished as soon as she was out of hearing range. I rolled my eyes.

"Do you want me to eat your pickles or not?'

"I don't have to give them to you. I could use them for possibly dangerous pickle projectiles and fling them at the window. The glass plane wouldn't know what hit it."

"Your errant stupidity?" He was the one who rolled his eyes this time, and instead of answering shoved a big chunk of his burger into his mouth. On my own plate I noticed he had plopped down the pickles. I smiled and threw them into my mouth, enjoying the strong taste. I moved onto my burger as well, and we both inhaled our meals like teenage males were prone to do. I hadn't really eaten anything since early morning, and the greasy food hit all the right spots.

Beyond our comfort zone and out past the glass the first flash of lightning warned us that the storm was coming faster then expected. Naruto turned towards the pane as well, and the jumps of white light outside lit up our silhouettes, made a bit ridiculous by Naruto's hanging open mouth awaiting the burger in his hands.

"Do you plan on going home tonight?" Naruto asked. I thought for a moment, then shook my head.

"I don't plan on returning. Or more like, I don't want to. But what other options do I have?" I could go ask someone from my class. Anyone would invite me in gladly, but it would be weird. I would feel like I owed them something. They would know that I owed them something.

"I don't have any place to go tonight either. But I think I know some people who could take us in. They're both real nice, and I know they wouldn't mind you coming over too, as long as you act as polite. Well, in your case it wouldn't matter much. I bet Sakura would just take you in because you're pretty." He waggled his eyebrows lecherously.

"… Don't do that thing with your eyebrows. It wigs me out." He started an elaborate wave pattern with them, ignoring my previous comment and waiting for an answer. I sighed and made my choice. "I would love to. I think I'd take anyone at this point, as long as they aren't cannibals."

"What about zombies?" He pulled out his arms and let his hands flop, imitating the brain consuming, radioactive creatures.

"No. They're still eating human flesh."

"You shouldn't discriminate! Zombies aren't humans anyways. In fact, you're eating beef right now, but no one's judging you." Naruto stuck his finger out at me, poking the air.

"Zombies still count. Firstly, they still look like humans. Secondly, they don't change species after becoming zombies. They're just reanimated corpses. As for the beef thing, I'm fairly sure I was never a cow, so I guess that makes me home free."

"Except with hard-core vegans."

"Yes. Except with hard-core vegans. Can I ask you a question?"

"Fire away." He shrugged simply, totally relaxed in his seat.

I paused and wondered whether this was too personal. I had told him why I was here, but it didn't mean that he was ready to tell me. "Why don't you have a place to stay?"

"Well, I doubt that you would have noticed, but I haven't been going to school lately. I couldn't afford to. About a week ago my apartment got totally torched while I was at school. Everything inside became ash, including my clothing, my school books, what little savings I had… All my plants. I had the cutest cactus with little pink flowers… Anyways, apparently it was an accident. The firemen said it must've been my fault, but I haven't had electricity for a good month, and I was never that into candles. I still don't know what started it…" Naruto's whole position tried to push the image of a nonchalant boy. But the twist in the sides of his mouth suggested bitterness. We were both so bitter.

"What about the rest of the apartment building?"

"Totally fine. We're pretty close to a fire department, and they responded quickly. Luckily my next door neighbor called them in. Mrs. Nortsram may be blind and deaf, but her sense of smell is that of a dog."

"It's a good thing you live alone then." I said slowly, testing the waters. I suspected that Naruto had a falling out with his family, or it was possible that he didn't have one at all. In any case, I didn't want to be the one to bring it up.

"…yeah. Good thing. I managed to snag a job at a hot dog vendor on 3rd street, but I lost it today when I punched out one of the customers."

"That didn't take long. What did they do?"

Naruto pulled at his pink top. "He insulted my shirt. Then asked for me to make change for a 50$ bill. I told him to shove it, he called me some names and then I hit him in the jaw. All in all I would say that it was the shortest time I've ever spent at a job."

"You're shirt _is_ hideous." It had to be pointed out.

"Buzz off. This outfit was the only thing I could afford with a grand total of 3.50$ in pocket change. Anyways, the man phoned the main company that runs the stands and complained. The manager came by and informed me that my position was terminated. By then I had already spat into the ketchup and mustard bottles."

"Ewwwww. That's disgusting! Awww… so gross…"

"I know. That's sort of the point." He said, grinning evilly.

"So where are you living now? With that couple you were talking about before?"

"No, Sakura and Lee just got married. The last time I stayed there they were all mushy and gross. I've actually been sleeping in a stolen sleeping bag near the river."

"_What? _Tell me you're kidding." I tried to imagine it, living like a bum, but it seemed to bizarre, too hard for someone as young as me.

"Nein! I'm totally serious. It isn't all that bad… when it isn't raining out." He looked nervously out the window, as a sheet of rain could be seen as a dark mist, approaching fast.

"You're such an idiot."

"Hey! None of that! As if you would actually understand something like having no home!"

"Well, were both in that position right now, aren't we? But don't expect me to go about sleeping in old sleeping bags by the river."

"One night I slept by the soup kitchen, but an old man kept trying to trade his prosthetic leg for my bag. So I didn't get any sleep."

"I hate it when that happens." I said dryly.

"Yeah, me too. I was kinda torn though. His leg _was_ neat looking."

"What the hell would you use a fake leg for?"

"I don't know. Fake walking?" I sighed and covered my face with my hand. His logic was mind numbing. I spotted the waitress reading a magazine behind the counter of the kitchen; the cover was of some new starlet, most likely to be unknown give or take a year. She peered every so often over the top to check on her only customers in the restaurant. When she saw me looking she took it as a signal.

"Are you two finished?" She asked, mainly me, though it was Naruto who was pulling out the small coins.

"Uh, yes. We are done." He leaned over so his head was in her view and grinned obnoxiously.

"Would either of you like any dessert? Some coffee? We have a cheesecake special for 2.50$, and our coffee isn't bad quality."

"Sorry, much as I would love cheesecake I just couldn't afford it. Just the bill please." Naruto taped the table with his finger. She went to the counter briefly and came back with a white slip inside of a small black folder. She paced it down just in time for Naruto to dump his pile of silver on top.

"I actually think that should cover it. 14.35$ right?" Fourteen dollars in a collection of dimes, nickels, quarters and the occasional penny. The waitress smiled amiably, but her fingers were twitching dangerously.

"Yes. That's about right. Maybe you could stick around for me to…uh… count it?"

"Sure, no biggie."

"Did you even add a tip?" I accused.

"Well, not really. It wasn't like she was all that great anyways. First she tried to charge us money for water, and then she forgot the pickles. Anyways, I think the best tip you could give her is a goodbye kiss. I bet she'd go through the roof." He began to pucker his lips and make kissing noises. Which was how the waitress found them, with myself glowering dangerously and Naruto giving his best impression of a fish.

"It all seems to add up. You gave me too much, so you get back five cents in change." She dropped a nickel into Naruto's waiting hand, his lips still sucking in. She turned and under her breath I could hear her faintly mutter something like, 'why are all the good-looking ones gay?'

"Ready to go? I want to get to Sakura and Lee's apartment before the rain starts coming down."

"Too late for that." I pointed towards the drizzling sky, which was becoming heavier by the second.

"Have you ever ran in the rain, or did you usually have someone to carry an umbrella for you?" He asked, and I remembered the fictional gap between us. It was strange, because I had forgotten about my fathers funeral for the last half hour. I could feel the grief, but it had become a dull unknown pain. Before his comment the only thing I was thinking of was the waitresses assumption about me and my bizarre company.

"Don't be foolish. I had a personal golf cart for any distance." I quipped, giving myself a stuck up accent, part British, part old school teacher.

"Naturally, how silly of me." He said, playing along. "Want to get wet?" Naruto tucked his man purse back into his ugly shorts as he was getting up.

"Hell yeah."


	2. Chapter 2

_Crikey! No updates for almost half a year. I am a miserable soul. _Anyways, sorry for the immense delay. The story is complete with this long, long, long chapter. It's nearly double the size of the first chapter, which was a mammoth itself. It might also have some editing mistakes, because I was in a hurry to put this up before I left for work. This chapter also introduces both Lee and Sakura into the story, and hopefully no one minds the LeeSaku, because I adore that couple.

If I find enough inspiration, there may be a sequel, but as of now Carry On is Finito!

Thank you for the wonderful reviews as well! I'm so sorry for the delay!

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. Good grief.

_Part 2_

The sensation of wet clothes against my skin had never felt this good before, and the fresh cold air that swept through the streets only added to my awareness of the rain. The sun was blocked entirely by the consolidated gray clouds above, and the surreal effect of the day continued as Naruto was the only other person on the road besides myself.

Naruto was grinning towards the sky gleefully, and took a running leap into one of the fledgling puddles. All of his movements were fast and passionate, from the way he swung his arms to the strong kick of his legs as he simply walked. It was strangely attractive to watch, and I considered myself soaked in my heavy black fabric jacket that was only continuing to drag me down. He wasn't being weighed down by anything, but I wondered if he was really better off than I was, considering that he had no family, no home and was wearing cotton to my wool.

My father wore suit's everyday when he was still alive (I was already in the habit of referring to him in past tense) and I couldn't remember ever seeing him in something casual. We went on family vacations occasionally, and I suppose I should recall him donning something like a rich person's tourist outfit, but all I can see is my mother in her classy sundress and Itachi wearing his preppy Italian made dress shirts. Naruto on the other hand was wearing a getup that would have even the most fashion ignorant- Hawaiian shirt attired middle-age man grimace.

"Holy crap! Sasuke, you have to see the size of this worm! It's freakin huge!" Naruto leaned over and balanced on the back of his feet; preying over a small alcove between the sidewalk and concrete road. His dirt hands were squelching in the mud, and triumphantly he pulled out a long string of pink that could only be the infamous creature without a vertebrae.

"That's… pretty disgusting," I folded my legs down adjacent to my new friend (not the worm) and hesitantly touched it with the tip of my finger. It immediately recoiled and span in Naruto's fingers. "What exactly are we trying to accomplish by sitting here?"

"A telepathic connection. I figure if I stare at it long enough I think I can get into its brain." Naruto nodded conspiringly.

"Which end is the brain located?" I prodded it once more, almost enjoying the slippery surface. My companion stared at it intensely for a few moments, examining it from beginning to end, or toe to head, depending on whether the worm even had that much definition in its anatomy.

"I don't know, the purply bit?" He examined the strange wriggling worm for anything that looked discernible from the rest. With a carefree smile he placed it down next to the grass and away from the rising puddles. "Obviously my psychic powers are a little rusty. Which I should have known, because I did totally bomb Mr. Iruka's last English test. You think my trusty psi powers could have helped me out with that one."

"Remember, _To be or not to be_ is from Hamlet." I uselessly added, enjoying our extensive wetness, under the rain that continued to flow downwards.

"And the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42," Naruto joked back, lightly.

"But what is the question?" I asked, with my own cocky grin. Naruto turned his head to the side, his strongly blond hair continuing to shine even dragged down by water. It fell past his forehead and over the tops of his eyes, but his inquisitive blues still beamed out against the gray backdrop of our surroundings. He wasn't saying anything, but it didn't feel like he was being quiet; everything about him was still clamoring for attention.

"Why aren't you like this at school?" He wondered, as if he wasn't even aware that he was saying it out loud for any one to hear.

"Like what?" I questioned back, knowing what he was asking, but not wanting to answer.

"Like… a person…" He whispered, touching the dark ground with his fingertips, looking at me from over his knees in his crouched position on the pavement. "I'm sorry… that was…"

"It's okay," I said, "Don't worry about it. I've never been that interested with school or with the people there. It's a just twelve years of survival camp, in a strange experiment that models itself after some twisted form of society. You make it or break it, and I've never let myself think that any of it mattered."

"It always mattered to me. I try so hard, I scream so loudly but it's like I'm in a big room and the only thing that's echoing back is my own voice. So, when I'm there all I see is people who do everything so effortlessly, and I'm not just talking about the popular kids. God, _popular_, what the hell does that even mean? Almost anyone can find a precious person, no matter how strange they come off as, but somehow I've managed to magically make it through seventeen years of life without ever finding someone who would truly miss me if I disappeared one day." He sighed largely, dramatically. Than he winked at me, breaking his previous mood and hinting that he was joking. "I guess that sort of thing will happen if you also go through school pranking every person you come across."

"Yeah, that'll tend to happen." I shrugged, "You're especially not going to find any admirers by throwing a stink bomb into the girls washrooms." I could recall the tense shrieks spreading through the halls like wildfire even now.

Naruto grinned when he remembered. "Shit, girls are so damn territorial. You'd think I'd spat on all their beliefs and everything that stands for peace, justice and pink unicorns."

"Unicorns?"

Naruto stuck his hand in front of his forehead and pointed out his index finger. "They're just stupid horses with horns as far as I can tell."

I grabbed his finger and pulled him into a standing position. "So what's your favorite animal than? If not the proud, magnificent pink unicorn?" I teased as he once again cocked his elbows out and placed his hands on his hips. It was a stance that I was now used to him taking.

"Well, when I was really young it used to be the platypus, because it was just so outrageous. I've always thought that evolution did that thing wrong. When I was about ten I saw that movie, you know, 'The Fox and the Hound'?"

I nodded. "The Disney movie, right?"

"Uh huh. For some reason I just liked the main character, Todd was it?" He stopped to consider a moment, but decided to go on, "He took all this crap, but he never let it get to him. Plus foxes are damn cool. They're all stealthy and shit. Like freakin' ninja dogs."

I laughed, because just the very idea of Naruto sneaking around seemed impossible. I could see him trying to hide in trees while wearing something as idiotic as bright orange. If, no, _when_ he was caught he would declare loudly to all that he was a ninja (undercover mission be damned!) and that he was going to kick all of their asses from here to hell.

"You know," I began slowly, "In Japan the fox is a rather infamous mythological character. A trouble-maker spirit, or a fox-demon. They're called _Kitsune_. They play tricks on humans and are known for their great magical powers." Strange, I had forgotten most of the tales my mother had told me about her homeland, but looking into Naruto's face I was immediately reminded of the creatures from the ancient stories that had been passed on to me.

"Cool! That's like Loki, or you know, Goku the monkey god from Chinese mythology." Naruto rambled on, excited by learning something new. Mr. Ebisu, our history teacher, would have a heart attack if he realized that Naruto not only actually paid attention to old cultures, but seemingly retained the information as well.

"You like mythology I suppose." I chuckled, watching the glow in Naruto's eyes grow brighter, fiercer. As before everything he did seemed to be infused with an unnatural energy.

He grinned from side to side and bobbed his head as well. "Love it! I…" He looked sideways at me furtively. "Promise you won't laugh at what I'm about to say, okay?"

"Does it matter if I do or not? You're going to tell me anyways." I said, but his face looked like he was about to tell me off for being a bastard so I just agreed.

"… I promise." Naruto immediately brightened and began to move his hands, a sure sign that he was about to speak.

"I want to study ancient cultures when I'm older. I know it's going to take good marks and all, but I keep thinking that if I just try hard enough… If I push myself to be the best I just know that I would be awesome at it, that I would love it. I guess to me it would be less like a job… and more like escapism." He laced his brown hands behind his neck and turned to me smiling, moving down the pavement. I wasn't sure how close we were to our destination, but I followed Naruto's meandering feet.

"That's a pretty big word there; escapism. Are you sure you're doing that badly in English class? You know, if you spent less time making spit balls or planting porno on unsuspecting teachers desks you might be getting a higher mark," He rolled his eyes at me and gestured something inappropriate with one of his fingers. "But that's cool." I finished.

"What's cool?" Naruto asked.

"That you have a dream, a goal. That's actually amazing," I couldn't quite see under the rain, but from my vantage point at his side it seemed like his face was taking to the color red. "Myself, I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. Not one damn thing."

"You're kidding, right? You have the best marks in the school, and you're one of those freaks that universities actually come to recruit. No aspirations to be a doctor?"

"No."

"Lawyer?"

"No."

"Hell, I bet you could just about rake in the money you would get if you went into male modeling." He teased.

"Not a chance." I answered, kicking some water his way. Naruto sprinted forwards quickly, adding to the distance between us. "Instead I've been entertaining the idea of writing a commercial jingle and living off the proceeds for the rest of my life."

Naruto laughed, but turned to ask me another question. "What about your fathers company? What's going to happen now that he's dead?" I bizarrely liked that he didn't make use of any euphemisms. With anyone else it might have come off as inconsiderate, but with Naruto I just took his boldness in course.

"I have an older brother who'll take charge. I could get a job there, but me and my brother don't get along. I wouldn't be able to stand working for him, and he would love to be able to order me about. I wouldn't want to give him the satisfaction." I explained.

"Tough. That's Itachi right?" He asked.

"Yes. How do you know his name?"

"Most of my punishments involve washing the stupid trophy cabinet. His name's inscribed on basically… everything." Naruto made such a face that I felt the urge to laugh.

"That's him, the genius brother of the family." I then frowned as I recalled his return today. Him and his fake grief and nice shoes. "He's such a prodigy that he spent most of his classes correcting the errors in his textbooks."

Naruto snorted. "That's about as lame as a kid can get. Did your parents just order a robot? I mean seriously, correcting textbooks? I bet a guy like that has never been laid." I smacked him lightly on the arm, adverse to even the very concept of Itachi and…

To me he was like a doll. Immune to all human desires and needs, with the lucky exception of ambition that instead, shone brightly from inside of him, illuminating every part of his being. I knew he had dated, but I had always considered that a successful relationship consists of two people who have a continual need for one another. Itachi found people useful at times, but it was hard to imagine him actually wanting something enough to actually do anything that resembled sexual intercourse.

"Maybe he would say the same of you. It's hard to think that anyone in a pink flamingo shirt knows anything about getting a date." I teased.

Naruto's face suprising flamed bright red. "Whatever. Just because you're all good looking and all doesn't mean you can make fun of me. One day I'll be the one raking in all the ladies. Believe it!"

"Oh, yes. When that day comes I'll bow down to you and admit to your greatness." I was still joking of course. Naruto wasn't unattractive per say, but there was a certain softness in his face that I was certain would never run towards handsome. If there was a drawing point to him it was definitely the range and intensity of the emotions that played on his face. Teenage girls didn't notice things like that though. They would appreciate my consistently deadpan expression over Naruto's wealth of dramatics any day.

Naruto grinned happily. "You'd better! And maybe if I'm nice I'll let you peek into my vast black book of playboy power."

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll be a regular Hugh Hefner." I said.

Naruto grinned lecherously, but then mentioned, after a short moments contemplation, "The mansion would be cool, but I think I could do without the regular Viagra intake. Man, I bet a lot of Playboy Bunnies sure damn the day that Viagra made it into public circulation."

I laughed, and Naruto continued, "But you have to give it to those ladies, they have found the secret answer to all of their financial issues in one package. Too bad it's old, wrinkly and lusty. Yuck."

"Heh. Whatever."

Naruto's friend lived in a minuscule apartment complex further south then I had ever expected to find myself. It's coloring was a dirty, chipped cream paint with fading salmon paneling. A bad attempt at making the place look attractive.

It had to be around seven by this time, not late by anyone standards, yet only one light was burning bright out the windows. A shadow would walk by every few seconds as Naruto and I directed ourselves closer. Naruto knocked open the squeaky gate to the property and ran up the creaky stairs to the second floor entrance to the apartment with the lights on.

"Oi! Sakura! Lee!" Naruto gave the green door of apartment number 16 a good wallop with his foot. There was a startled curse from behind and then the door swung open with a bang. A woman, perhaps five years older then Naruto or myself stood with a glowering look. Her hair was radically dyed pink, and clever green eyes scanned Naruto up and down with machine like accuracy. She was wearing light jeans, a red short sleeved shirt, covered by a softly rounded apron splattered with what looked like tomato sauce. The bump underneath revealed that Sakura was pregnant, but the energy fizzling from her gave no hint that she was tired or was going to let anyone dote on her. Inside I could smell something like spaghetti from inside the kitchen, and the green eyed woman glowed, either from the fumes from the hot kitchen or the effects of imminent motherhood.

"I suppose your little box by the river didn't work all that well in this rain. Geez, Naruto, I told you to stay with us but you just never listen… Lee and I are considering chaining you to this apartment, just to keep you off the streets. Next time… Oh. You brought a friend." Sakura had spotted me. Her cheeks turned lightly pink and she brought a hand up to her mouth and 'ohhed'. "He's so pretty. I mean, hello, I'm Sakura and… I'm sorry, I'm still staring. I just don't get that much eye candy around here. You see, Lee has a bowl cut…"

"Darling! You mentioned my name? Mon Amour! Ma petite fleur! You need only think of me and I shall flock to your side." A tall man draped himself over Sakura's body and fluttered frighteningly long eyelashes, cooing unintelligently.

"That's sweet Lee… Oh, shit! The spaghetti, Lee! You're supposed to be watching the spaghetti! It's boiling over!" Lee's big eyes widened comically before he sprinted wildly in the direction of the kitchen.

"Come inside guys, you guys look like soaked to the bone. Naruto… I'm giving you some new cloths for sure. I just went through an intervention with Lee's green spandex, so I have a bunch of stuff that's pleasantly neutral. Of course… uh… your friend…"

"Sasuke." I introduced myself, and she giggled and blushed again.

"Sasuke can change to. I'm guessing you like dark colors. Unlike Mr. I-could-cause epilepsy beside you. Where the hell did you find that… outfit?" She ushered us inside and chucked two homely patterned towels at us. Naruto scrubbed his straw hair and looked at his clothes.

"They were discount. Went to the place that Lee suggested."

Sakura snorted, but still smiled fondly towards her flailing husband, who was desperately trying to clean the overflow of sauce from the large pot. "That explains everything."

Naruto flopped down onto a floral couch. I sat beside him and enjoyed the sinking feeling of well used cushions. The inside of the home have off a warm feeling of comfort, and it was decorated with paintings of flowers and bizarre knick knacks. How much was contributed by Sakura I didn't know, but I could spot a few that I guessed were Lee's, as one was a painting of what seemed to be an older, scarier version of himself flashing a thumbs up. The final effect was eclectic and welcoming, something that my own home lacked, even when it wasn't decorated in colors of mourning.

I twisted my head around and spotted a box sitting in the corner of the apartment, a label declaring it to be an un-built baby crib. From the advertising on the glossy covering of the cardboard I could see that it was going to be frog themed.

"Yo, Sakura! When's the kid due?" Naruto asked loudly.

Sakura turned about and patted her stomach absentmindedly. "This old thing? Hm… Doctors give it a couple of weeks."

"HER! Surely the lovely blossom growing within your womb is a precious lily, awakening its petals to the world!" Lee proclaimed passionately.

Sakura gave him a dry look. "Sure whatever. Throw some pickles into the sauce. Apparently your miniature flower likes bacteria covered cucumbers. Sometimes with ice cream, but even I won't go as far as to put dairy products into a spaghetti sauce. What about you boys? Are you hungry or anything? Sasuke? Just ask for anything and I'll tell Lee to get it for you."

I shook my head in polite refusal. Naruto burped loudly, earning himself a disapproving look from Sakura. "It's cool. We went to Joe's and grabbed some burgers. So you know, you can do your pigging out thing with the spaghetti. Seriously, watching you eat has turned me off of becoming pregnant, like EVER."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that's why I don't want to use my non-existent womb too. That and a paralyzing fear of morning sickness."

Naruto nodded his head and hmm-ed sagely, as if in silent, yet compassionate agreement. His silly face that so eagerly jumped into one bizarre joke after another remained utterly straight as Sakura just sighed and said, "Yes, Naruto, I get it. You're not hungry. Are you sure you don't want anything at all Sasuke? You poor boy, being stuck with this numb skull all day. By the way, how did you two even become friends? I don't remember Naruto ever mentioning any frien- I mean, he's never talked about you before."

I answered before Naruto did. For a moment, when Sakura was talking he looked briefly upset. I didn't dwell on it though. "We were only schoolmates until recently. Naruto was kind enough to treat me to lunch, and then due to external family issues I was unable to go home tonight. Naruto offered me a place to stay then, and while maybe it was presumptuous to assume that I'd be welcome…"

"Don't worry about it, Sasuke." Sakura assured, "Any friend of Naruto is a friend of ours. Of course it helps that you're deadly attractive, but I mean, we'd still be _accepting _of someone plainer… perhaps not so enthusiastic… I mean, has anyone ever told you that you look like a male model? Seriously, you look like you just walked off the pages of Vogue…"

"Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"You're rambling." Naruto said, stopping the pink haired, soon to be mother in her tracks. Not before I started sporting a slight blush from Sakura's attention. It didn't make me uncomfortable though, mostly because no matter how incredibly good looking she thought I was I had noticed the intense look of devotion that came to her face whenever she glanced over at her cooking husband. I couldn't remember my own parents ever giving each other looks like that.

I knew, that whenever I settled with someone, it would be with someone that whom I would love so much that even a practical stranger could recognize it brewing in my eyes.

Naruto broke into my reverie. "In any case, me and Sasuke are tight now. Tight like tigers."

I raised my eyebrows. "Your bad English is showing again. It's Sasuke and I. And never use that tiger analogy ever again."

Naruto grinned widely once more, showing his bright sharp teeth. "Aye, aye Cap'n!"

Naruto and I lounged on the couch for a few more minutes as Sakura shuffled over to help Lee. The two of them whispered intimately to each other and I even heard Sakura giggle once. Lee gently placed his hand on her stomach and sweetly smiled. Naruto didn't even look in that direction, but instead kept his eyes on the now playing television. He was watching some talent show, which was apparently amusing to him.

Me, I was just content to _watch_ him be amused. I wondered if… If this whole friendship thing did work out, whether this was going to be how it would be. Naruto, me, just the two of us sitting somewhere, me just enjoying him enjoying himself.

Naruto would think that it was an unequal relationship, but I think, though I'd never admit it to him, that it would make me happy.

Outside the storm was growing, and flashes of light grew stronger. The thunder banged outside like some sort of rabid dog growling, scratching, trying to get inside peoples homes. I felt safe though, though with the lack of conversation I began to feel a little sad. Naruto and this newly introduced couple had succeeded in keeping my mind off of my own family for most of the day after my spectacular flight from the funeral. Yet, not thinking about it didn't change anything. My father was dead, and while I knew that I had never really gotten to know him, I mourned for the man that I'd imagined him to be. I never thought that he would take me out and play catch or something lame like that, but one day I'd thought that maybe he'd take me aside and say, "Good job, Sasuke."

Something as simple as that would have been like a blessing… If he was proud of me, even a little bit…

Of course, I'd done nothing to be proud of lately. I'd shamed my mother by shouting and running at my own fathers funeral. Over Itachi. He wasn't worth it. Now I would never hear those words of praise that I longer for. Not from the right person. Poor mom, now she would have to deal with my disappearance as well. I should phone her…

"Sasuke…" Someone's hand was on my shoulder, shaking it. "Sasuke, hey dude, what's up? You looked totally zoned out. Are you okay? … Was it the burgers?"

"Wha…?" I turned and noticed Naruto's concerned face. Did he think I had contracted food poisoning or something? "Uh… I'm fine. Sorry to worry you, I was just thinking about my Mom. Does this place have a phone?"

"Uh… Oi! Sakura, where's your phone? Sasuke needs to tell his Mom where he is, and like that, he hasn't been abducted by aliens or something."

"Yes, that will certainly be her first concern." I said.

"Oh, of course. Sasuke, it's just on the left wall… Over by the big potted plant. You can't miss it." Sakura pointed to the mounted phone. It was a pale green color that was entirely retro. I believe the proper name would be sea foam, but I would never go into the water if it was that unhealthy hue.

I picked up the line nervously once I got to the phone. I was used to the wireless phones of the modern age, but I was glad for the plastic coils attaching the receiver to its hold on the wall. I could wrap my finger around the twists and release some of my tension. I didn't think that this would be a pleasant phone call.

I turned my number on the spin dial, momentarily amused by the lack of push buttons. I waited and heard two ominous rings.

"Hello, Uchiha Residence." Itachi. I wanted to slam down the phone, but decided to be rational with him, _for once_.

"This is Sasuke. Is Mother home?"

"Ah, thank you for phoning little brother. Mother nearly went out of her mind with worry. I understand that you are in mourning, but please don't aggravate the family any further than necessary. We do have a reputation to uphold, which I'm sure you understand, but please put your understanding in motion next time you decide to flee the home."

"…" _Go fall in a hole somewhere._ "Right. Sorry. Where is she?" _Just give the damn phone to her, I don't want to talk to you anymore. No, actually, never again._

"I think she's having tea with our aunt. Probably discussing you."

Oh, nice. My aunt. My, Itachi must be enjoying this. "I see." _You windbag_. "Could you tell her I'm on the line?" I wasn't going to say please though, because I was just _that_ intensely rebellious.

"No. I wouldn't want to interrupt her time with our devoted relatives. They've been very attentive to our needs, of course not all of us may appreciate that, but thank God that I do. I'll take a message for you. You can trust me that it will reach her."

_Yeah, right_. "Just tell her that I'm staying with a friend tonight. I'll be back sometimes soon." I took a deep breath. "Goodbye."

"Sasuke, which friend? I need the number…" I hung up the phone without hearing the rest. Momentarily I glared at the receiver, hoping that the menacing thing would melt, and somehow take my brother down, across the line, with it.

"Oh Sasuke! I just remembered while you were on the phone there. You still need to change right?" I nodded to Sakura. "Lee's spare stuff is just in the big drawer at the top of our cabinet. There should be some proper clothes in there. Afterwards just toss your wet things into the hamper. I'll wash them for you tomorrow morning."

"Thank you."

Sakura turned her attention away for a moment, looking at Naruto. "You too. In fact you shouldn't bother putting your clothes in the hamper. I'll cut them up and use them as house rags." She stopped briefly. "No, not house rags. The pink dye might get on my walls."

"Ack! Sakuraaa!" Naruto whined, gripping onto his pink shirt.

"Don't argue with me, I'll break your spine. Inside, _now!_" She shooed us both into the Master bedroom and pointed out Lee's clothing drawer. Both Naruto and I trudged inside and began to shuffle through Lee's things, while I began to grin lightly when I saw Naruto's shirt choice.

It was a bright orange shirt with Bruce Lee striking a pose, his mouth wide and his palm held open, ready to smack someone upside the head. Awesome.

Naruto, with his brilliant understanding of aesthetic also grabbed a pair of green shorts, which would only be called matching in the sense of a Tim Burton film.

I went more conventional and grabbed a baggy black t-shirt and a pair of denim pants, unfolding them and holding them up to check for size. I was taller than Naruto by a few inches, but still shorter than Lee. I didn't think that it would cause the pants to be that long, and it wasn't like I had much choice. All of Lee's shorts seemed to be along the same line as the pair that Naruto had picked out for himself.

Naruto was now peeling off his pink shirt, shuddering a bit at the cold damp fabric leaving his skin. As he reached for his neon shorts I turned away, and for some reason I could feel the blood rise to my cheeks. To distract myself I tossed off my funeral jacket and shirt and hopped out of my dress pants as fast as possible. My skin was chilled I realized, and gratefully shrugged into the blue jeans and dark tee.

Naruto beside me had picked up his limp, wet clothes and was dangling them in his hands, letting the water drip onto the carpet. I wanted to warn him about getting the floor damp, but I doubted that he'd actually listen to me.

"Oi, idiot, what do you think your doing with those?"

"I just kinda feel sorry for them. Only moments from now Sakura will come into the room, her hands ready and willing to toss out these garments, innocent, unable to change the way they look into the trash. Oh the mortality!"

I deadpanned briefly, but was not shocked at his unnecessary dramatics. Only half a day in his presence had already taught me to expect the ridiculous to come out of Naruto's generous mouth at any time. Now, if he wished to mourn the tragedy that was his second hand clothing I wouldn't even attempt to stop him.

"Everything has its time Naruto, from goldfish to bad tourist shirts."

"Ah, I suppose you're right, my world wise friend. Of course, they do have other uses…" He expertly twisted his shirt in his hands, turning it into a slim long bit of fabric. He flicked it experimentally with his wrist and slapped it at me, hitting me out a snapping noise.

"Ah! What the hell! Are you fricken ten years old? Shove off!" I gave him a good kick in the legs, making him fall onto the bed with a good omph, the springs creaking beneath him.

"Hahaha! You should have seen your face!" He collapsed into giggles. "You looked like a scandalized old woman when I hit you, all eyebrows raised and your mouth all tight… Haha… I thought you were going to go into some crabby tirade about how immature I am… Wait! You did!" He laughed again, breathless.

"Glad to know you find yourself funny!" I grabbed a fluffy pillow and thumped him over the head for good measure. Which, naturally, caused Naruto to grab a pillow. Which, naturally, ended up in a pillow fight. My first, in fact.

This was how Sakura found us, pounding each other with_ her_ bed linen.

"Well boys, sorry to interrupt your two man party, but Lee is all revved up to watch Cabaret. You know how much he loves Liza Minelli."

"Can't imagine why," Naruto said, but the two of us trampled out to the couch anyways. Lee had made popcorn, and the scent of snack was enough for me to ignore my deeply inset manners and take for granted the bowl placed in front of us.

The movie, as it was, turned out to be a musical. At least I could take comfort that Naruto looked as bored as I was. The highlight was Lee I suppose, who was so moved that I do believe I saw tears welling up in the corners of his enormous eyes. Naruto, sitting beside Sakura burped loudly in the middle of one of the big numbers, earning a pinch from the irate woman.

Naruto sat quietly for the rest of the movie, but as the end was near he began to shuffle around. He than put his hand down beside him cautiously. 'Eh… Lee? Did you wet yourself or something? The couch is… wet. Gross…" Naruto said, as he bounced up. I followed, looking down at a damp area around where he was sitting.

"What are you talking about? Like any healthy young man I have perfect control of my bladder… Perhaps it was my youthful tears!" Lee exclaimed.

Sakura rolled her eyes, and with obvious difficulty pulled herself up. "No, you're both idiots. My water just broke."

Lee nodded once… twice… "Well, I suppose that explains everything than… Your water broke…" He stopped, and his eyes became as wide as saucers.

"Holy Lord God Almighty!" And than Lee promptly fainted.

The ride to the hospital was both chaotic and highly illegal, due to the fact that I had been deemed the driver, despite my blatant lack of license. In the end it was a logical choice if you considered that Sakura was beginning to pop a vein, Lee was unconscious in the back seat, and Naruto had found Lee's old socks… and was now using them as hand puppets.

"Oh dear Mr. Dolphin! Whatever shall we do? If we don't get to the hospital in time Sakura will snap all of our necks in a fit of homicidal rage!"

"I don't know Mr. Fox! Maybe if we sing a song it will cheer everyone up!"

I veered dangerously close to a sidewalk, and by proxy an elderly lady on the road. I was prompted by Sakura's growl's, who felt clearly adverse to the concept of Naruto leading us into a singing puppet number.

"Some things in life are bad. They can really make you mad… Something, something, something… Always look on the bright side of life! Dudu! Dudududu…"

"Naruto, I really don't think that's the best idea right now. Why don't you just keep your eyes on the road, make sure there's no cops around."

Naruto pouted. "Mr. Dolphin thinks that Sasuke is just not understanding. Mr. Fox thinks that your heart is clearly three sizes to small." He waved his hands around, indicating that his left hand, covered in a blue sock was Mr. Dolphin, whilst the gray sock with red plaid was deemed Mr. Fox.

"Shut up Naruto. Just. Stop." I said.

Naruto gestured with his right hand, Mr. Fox. "We're being oppressed! We're being oppressed!"

A flying projectile hit Naruto's head with an alarming accuracy. "My face! Ah! I've been wounded!" He briefly looked down on the ground. "By a shoe! Sakura, you threw a shoe at me!" Naruto lifted his sock covered hand to rub his sore cheek, stopping within a couple of brief seconds. "Well this smells disgusting… awfully rancid…"

"BE QUIET MORTAL!" Sakura shouted, and kicked the back of his seat. "My contractions have started. MOVE WENCH'S!"

I stomped down on the gas, and prayed to God that there were no more red lights on the way to the hospital.

Sakura was admitted quickly, thankfully. I think she knew one of the heads of the hospital, who was apparently good friends with Naruto as well.

"When I was a kid I got into a lot of trouble." He explained. I could only imagine that Naruto as a child would have been a small holy terror, who would have ample opportunities to get himself hurt through some stupid scheme or another.

I was rarely injured myself. My mother was always overprotective to the point that as children both Itachi and I had a legion of housekeepers to watch over our every move within the safety of our large mansion. The one time I managed to do any damage was on my tenth birthday, when I was permitted to have my school friends over for a lavish backyard barbecue.

Whether they were actually my friends, or just classmates who wanted to see my excessively large home is a question that continues to make having genuine relationships difficult for me.

That day things had been going abnormally well, and even after lunch I had continued to avoid being kissed by any of the girls, and I had traded some cute animal cards with some boys from my class, poke… something's they had called them. But like today's ill favored event, things quickly went to shit with Itachi's arrival.

Suddenly, without my noticing my friends… became his friends. In a desperate effort to reclaim their attention I fool hardedly tried to climb a large apple tree in our spacious grounds. Really, I still don't know what I was trying to prove, but I remember the outcome. Near the top a single branch had begun to snap under my weight, and my panicked actions that followed caused me to free fall to the ground.

My right leg broke.

My mother was in hysterics, but my father only appeared once to say that he expected that I would never try something so reckless ever again. I thought it was so cold, even then. Maybe now my memories may have been affected my mourning, but I can now remember that his voice was shaking, and his face had been worried.

Sakura, in a few short hours would be forming her own parental bond with her child, and within a few minutes of its birth she would feel the same way about that child as my own mother did for me, even though my mother had a good seventeen years on Sakura. I couldn't understand what it was that created that instant bond so effortlessly, how human beings could love that unconditionally for something they had just met, while it was so impossible to create a lasting affection for people we had in our lives for years.

I didn't get why I was suddenly so attached to Naruto, who I had only known for half a day, yet I felt nothing for the acquaintance's that had been swarming my life for all of high school. It had to be instinct.

"I think that Lee is waking up." Naruto said. We had dumped in on a chair in the maternity ward, where we ourselves had been told to wait. Neither of us were family, and only Lee had the option of going in to see Sakura. I had also suggested checking Sakura's cell to see if she had any family members numbers listed, but in our rush to the hospital we had left it behind.

"Gua… Baby…" Lee groaned and slowly hunched himself into a sitting position. "Sakura?"

"Already in her room. Cursing all existence." I helpfully added.

Lee hopped up in a panic. "My love!" He dramatically left Naruto and I with a dash towards the room doors. He Nearly knocked over a new mother in her wheelchair. "Sorry, mam!"

Naruto and I sat back, and tried to relax. The last half hour had been so hectic and noisy that it was hard to get used to the idea that we might be waiting for awhile. I never even considered going home, because like I wanted to be a part of this. I just spent my morning at a funeral, I thought it would only be appropriate to be present for a birth in the evening. I could experience two profound and inescapable functions of human life, and I wouldn't miss it, even if it meant that my Mother would ground for from all potential social events in the future. It didn't matter, my social life wasn't that good anyways.

"I wonder what Sakura and Lee are going to name it. It would be cool if it got a name like… Moon Unit or something." Naruto wondered. I scoffed.

"Their not rock stars, Naruto. Normal people, normal names." I paused, " Well, as I suppose Lee's not normal. Luckily, I don't think he's going to have final say. Maybe if it were up to him she would be named like, Aurora, or Sky Blossom or something equally ridiculous."

Naruto grunted in agreement. "What are you thinking of naming your kids? I mean, if you ever decide to have some." He asked.

I shrugged. It seemed so far away, and worse, having children would mean I would have to find a wife, and actually start an adult life.

"If it's a son I think I would name him… something like Ichirou…"

"LAME. I know enough Japanese to know that means like, first son or something. Way too traditional man. You should go out of your way, and name your kid 'Dave' or something. Dave Uchiha. Cool." Apparently amused with himself, Naruto grinned.

"And you?"

"Ramen." He said, without hesitation.

"What? You can't name your kids after a food! That's cruel!"

Naruto laughed. "My name is 'fish cake', okay? I can at least be glad not my dad didn't leave and name me Sue. That would be bad."

"Yeah. True." I nodded.

To pass the time Naruto and I played cards, or read trashy magazines. I was now sufficiently caught up in all the gossip of who was currently in rehab, who cheated, was dumped, was paying an alimony over ten million to their trashy ex spouses. It was information learned that I'm sure would never come to be genuinely useful in my future. Naruto got caught up in doing crosswords. Suprisingly he had some sort of knack for it, because there was no way I would have ever remembered the capital of Belarus.

"One day I'm going to go on Jeopardy and kick some hard-core nerd butt." Naruto declared, after finishing his sixth puzzle.

"Yes, that is something to aspire to. You should tell that to the school counselor. I'm sure she'd be impressed."

Naruto laughed. "Anko? Have you ever actually talked to her?"

I shook my head.

"The long standing rumor is that she toasts hamsters in her microwave and eats kittens. She is also Voldemort, and or Darth Vader in disguise, depending on your own personal brand of geek. I hear when she unrolls her tongue all the way it's over two meters long. I also heard that she wears poisonous nail polish, and if she scratches you, you'll turn purple and die."

"So… You like her?" I asked.

"Yeah. She's coo'."

"Huh. I should see her sometime."

We took turns napping the rest of the night away. It had been about seven hours since Sakura began her contractions, and about fourteen since I decided to ditch my house and family. The dawn could now be seen through the windows, peeking in and causing Naruto, sprawled out on the chairs beside me to shift to hide his face from the light.

"Mmm… What time is it now, Sasuke?"

I checked my expensive watch. "5:37 am."

"Hey, Sasuke?"

"What?"

"Do you think the hospital has any burritos? I have a sudden craving…" Naruto's stomach growled, and he had enough decency to look a little abashed that it sounds like a small hungry mammal. I thought it was funny that his face turned a little red.

"That's pretty random."

Naruto agreed. "I had this dream… Do you ever fantasize about food?" He looked for a reaction, but I just raised an eyebrow. "Okay, so maybe not. You don't have the imagination I guess. But I do. I dream about eating all the time. Isn't that weird? I mean, don't most guys like, think about Jessica Simpson? Do you?"

I didn't. It was embarrassing to admit to another guy that I had an almost alarming lack of attraction towards females. Unlike most young men I never found any interest in woman, besides finding out enough about their behavior to know whether they were going to cause me trouble because they liked me.

"Well, I certainly don't dream about food. Honestly, maybe you should take this as a sign to start a better diet. You never get haunted by healthy food right?"

Naruto snorted. "It's only because I never want healthy food. You only fantasize about things you desire. Maybe you just don't desire anything, you cold fish."

I gave him a light shove. I knew there was definitely one thing I wanted now. I wanted more times like this, with Naruto. Preferably just the two of us sitting around and mulling over stupid subjects. And laughing, I liked doing that.

"Whatever. Over in the left corner of this room there is a vending machine. I think there's some Frito's over there. Make due." I said.

"Sweet!"

Lily Ai Rock was born at 8:11 am, to the proud parents of Sakura and Lee. Sakura had been the only one to take part in the naming though, because Lee had fainted again when he heard he was a father. She chose Lily, a name she thought would be feminine enough to satisfy Lee, while giving her daughter a flower name like her own. Ai, her middle name was apparently chosen because it had been Sakura's mother name, who was unfortunately deceased.

Naruto and I were invited in immediately when Sakura was ready to receive visitors. She was laying in her hospital bed, looking utterly exhausted, but deeply satisfied. In her arms was Lily, who had been born with a shock of thick dark hair, obviously taking after her father. Her eyes were big and luminous, and deeply black.

Even if she wasn't taking after her mother as Lee had hoped, I was sure he would be happy with her cute plump face. Who knows, hopefully she didn't inherit his eyebrows.

Naruto cooed over her and congratulated Sakura profusely. She smiled happily and kissed Lily on the head gently.

Outside the room Lee was talking on his cell phone with great animation to someone named Gai, and tears were coming down his cheeks. Every few seconds he would wipe them off and sniffle, which only made Sakura smile more.

"He's so emotional sometimes. Ugh… I don't suppose I can avoid making Gai Lily's Godfather." But she grinned anyways. I congratulated her as well, and she kissed my cheek.

"Hey! I didn't get one of those!" Naruto complained.

Sakura couldn't go home immediately, and I certainly couldn't continue to stay at the Rock's home any longer while they weren't there. Naruto had been convinced to bring what few belongings he had left over to their apartment, where they offered a spot on their couch until they could help him get a new home, or until they were able to afford larger housing. They strongly approved of the latter, saying that they were planning to do so now that Lily had been born.

Lee said that Lily would need a courageous older brother, able to teach her the ways of the world the way that parents sometimes couldn't. I didn't want to spoil to the moment by pointing out that Naruto wasn't that much younger than them, and perhaps an uncle would be a better role for him.

I bid goodbye to the couple and their new child, as they waited for their families to come visit them. Naruto said that he would come with me on my way home, and his presence gave me the support I needed to face my mother and brother.

We took the city bus, which was dirty and uncomfortable in a way that I had not yet experienced before. I actually did have a chauffeur that drove me to school in the morning, and any other time my mother would take time to get me to where I wanted to go. Naruto on the other hand seemed perfectly comfortable with navigating around the city by public transportation.

On the way Naruto recounted his first eventful prank at high school, which I had heard about, but never witnessed. Apparently he had somehow got a hand of on of our teachers swimsuit edition magazines. Ebisu would've given him detention just for the theft, but Naruto had photocopied the pages of the photos, blew them up and taped cut out heads of various male celebrities and pasted them on the wall in the main lobby. The last one was a year book picture of Ebisu, cut and pasted over top of a petite model's body.

I laughed hard, and wondered how I could have missed out on seeing that, even if it were up for only a couple of hours. I must be missing out on plenty at school, if I didn't even catch on to such obvious things.

By the time we got to my house the sky had cleared, and only an intense blue shone down upon us. Naruto squinted at the sun and grinned, than admired my neighbors plots of land.

"Crikey, this place is like ultra rich. Like television, super exaggerated rich. I didn't know we had places like this in the city. Well, what would I know, I've only ever lived in the bad half… but honestly…"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess they are pretty impressive." I didn't notice though, I had been living here for so long it no longer was a big deal to me. I considered a cozy home like the Rock's a much larger achievement than having your tennis court and your pool take up enough space that you could fit two homes in there.

"Is this traditional one yours? The one with a fan on the front post?" Naruto ran up to it and touched the engraving with his hand. I smiled, oddly happy that he seemed to like it.

"That's it. The Uchiha estates, bought and owned by one of the first generations of Japanese immigrants to come over. It's my families pride and joy, and the lands just lost their patriarch. My brother will be taking it over now."

"The robotic bastard?"

I snorted. "The very same." I stood at the front path, knowing that I would have to part with Naruto here, well, at least until Monday. I didn't want us to separate though, because I wasn't sure that when we met again we would fit together like this. Maybe this was a once in a lifetime thing, that we could only see inside each others lives for twenty four hours…

"Well… I guess its goodbye. Good luck, bastard." Naruto grinned at me. I tried to smile back, but it came out as strained and awkward. I couldn't bring myself to lift my feet and go on in.

"It's okay, man. I can't say that your Mom won't chew you out or anything, but just explain to her about your brother. If she doesn't listen it's not worth it. You can always just steal a fancy clock and hock it. It would probably pay for about a years rent in this town."

"Heh, yeah. I don't think its that easy."

Naruto slung his arms around me in a fierce quick hug. My heart pounded and I knew my cheeks must have turned pink, because I saw Naruto go entirely red when he saw my face. "You can always come and find me, you know." He said, and dropped his arms to his sides. I watched him, wide eyed.

"Thanks."

Naruto said, "No problem. I'll see you later, 'kay?" He waved, lifting his arm unnecessarily high, like he was asking permission for something.

"Bye, Naruto." I lifted my own hand in recognition. It was alright, we were friends, and we had the rest of high school to prove it. Of course, the strange beat of my heart was saying that there was also something else there, but it was a long ways away before I would even start on that. Naruto on his own was merely a big enough frustration.

I went to the door of my own house and pounded on the rich wood. I shouted, "I'm home!"

End.


End file.
